


Vulnerable

by Hellokaelyn



Category: NCIS
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Talk Of Past Drug Use, tag to 16x02
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-05-19 05:32:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19350502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hellokaelyn/pseuds/Hellokaelyn
Summary: Nick gets arrested for fighting again, but why?





	Vulnerable

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RoguePrincessDanie86](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoguePrincessDanie86/gifts).



Gripping the steering wheel tightly, anger practically radiated off her towards the person in her passenger seat.  
  
An hour ago she got a call from Nick, he asked if she'd pick him up from the police station..he got arrested for fighting again. Ellie chewed him out a little when they got into her car, but she hadn't said a word since and neither had he. This time there were no signs on his face that he had been fighting, but Ellie knew his ribs were bothering him a little from the way he kept shifting with a barely noticeable grimace. She'd suggest getting them checked out, but this was Nick.  
  
They were almost to his place when she felt calm enough to talk.  
  
"You can't keep doing this Nick, you're a federal agent for crying out loud, and you're not undercover anymore you can't just pick a fight-"  
  
"I know." He snapped, clenching his jaw.  
  
Ellie sighed. "What's going on?"  
  
He slowly turned his head towards her. "What?"  
  
"Last time you did this, it was because you were upset about Reeves..so what's going on?" She asked softly, the anger disappearing and instead now she was concerned. She knew anger was how he dealt with his emotions, and while she knew it wasn't a healthy way, she couldn't be mad at him for it.  
  
Nick leaned against the window. She caught a pained look that had nothing to do with any injury before he turned away. "I don't wanna talk about it right now."  
  
"Just..talk to someone okay? You felt better after talking to me about Reeves."  
  
"Pretty sure the alcohol in my system had something to do with it." He jokingly said. Ellie rolled her eyes but felt her lips lift.  
  
She glanced over to see him looking, a glint in his eye that made her quickly turn away and bite her lip. Things had shifted between them after that night, and she wondered..if he talked about what was bothering him this time..would things change with them again?  
  
Ellie pulled up to his apartment minutes later, the car no longer feeling suffocating. She had just turned the car off when she spotted the guy.  
  
"Nick..there's some guy standing at your door.." _and he looks an awful lot like you_ were her unsaid words that hung in the air.  
  
His head snapped up. She felt herself tense when his eyes turned cold, and his face twisted into anger.  
  
It didn't take a genius to figure out that whoever this was, was the reason for his fight.  
  
"Nick?" Ellie asked, tone worried.  
  
"Come on." He mumbled, getting out and slamming the door shut.  
  
Ellie scrambled after him, keeping her hand close to her gun just in case.  
  
"Nick!" The man said once they reached him. She almost stopped short when she saw how much he looked like Nick up close. This had to be his dad she thought. A dad she never heard about, and if his anger was anything to go by, it was for a reason.  
  
"What the hell are you doing here?" Nick spat out. "Lucia told you to not bother coming."  
  
"I wanna talk."  
  
Nick's jaw clenched but he turned and unlocked his door. He looked at her, saying with his eyes for her to follow. Ellie had thought for sure he'd want her to leave, he never was a fan of people knowing his business. She tried to hide her surprise as she walked inside.  
  
"I'm only letting you in so we're not disturbing the neighbors." Nick told him sternly. The man, his dad, nodded.  
  
"I'm..going to go into the other room." Ellie told him softly. Nick gave a short nod.  
  
She glanced at his dad before turning, he was looking at her with curious eyes as if trying to figure out who she was to Nick.  
  
When his bedroom door shut behind her, she leaned against it. It wasn't the thickest door, and they both knew whatever went on the living room, she'd be able to hear.  
  


* * *

  
  
Nick's body was tensed up, fingers fidgeting at his sides. His dad was standing in front of him for the first time in _years_. Ricardo Vazquez was a man that had crossed his mind frequently growing up, but Nick certainly didn't need him now.  
  
"You uh, changed to your mother's maiden name." Ricardo said, almost carefully.  
  
Nick scoffed. "Of course I did. We all did."  
  
His frown deepened at that. "I guess I understand that."  
  
"Good for you."  
  
Ricardo sighed. "Can't we just talk Nick?"  
  
"You left." Nick stressed out. "Why should I talk to you about anything?"  
  
"I'm your father that's why!"  
  
Nick laughed coldly. "Oh really? And where was this father, huh?" His voice rose as his anger grew. "Where was this father when I was learning to play soccer? When I wanted to learn to ride a bike? When I'd come home from school with bruises? Where was this dad when I needed to learn little things like how to shave or drive?!"  
  
"I'm sorry Nicholas, I-" Ricardo ran a hand down his face. "I got let go from my job and I just went downhill..I started taking drugs to deal with the stress, nothing big at first but when I starting taking harder drugs..I left. I couldn't stop and I was afraid it was better for all of you if I left before I ruined your lives."  
  
Nick chuckled, the sound sending a shiver down Ricardo's spine.  
  
"Well guess what _Ricardo_ , you ruined things anyway."  
  
"What..what'd you mean?"  
  
"You leaving put everything on Ma! From raising two kids on her own suddenly to paying the bills, bills _you_ racked up, to just putting food on the table. Ma couldn't cook, she didn't have a good paying job, no friends or family that could help out since _you're_ the one who burned all the bridges with everyone. She tried her hardest but it looks like she followed in your footsteps."  
  
Ricardo paled. "W-What?"  
  
"She got into drugs herself." Nick's fists clenched at his sides. "At thirteen years old when I should have been out playing soccer with friends, _I_ was the one helping Ma off the floor and into bed when she was stoned out of her mind, I was suddenly having to act like _I_ was the parent because Lucia was off at college luckily getting scholarships and YOU LEFT!" He shouted, tears filling his eyes as he tried swallowing the lump in his throat.  
  
Ricardo closed his eyes for a second before opening them. "I'm so sorry Nicholas. I swear I never meant-"  
  
"No, you didn't." He snapped out angrily. "But you did. You know I would sit on the steps outside just waiting for you to come back. I would wait for _hours_ because you once told me you loved us and would always be there!" Tears started falling, his chest twisting painfully as he remembered waiting until the sky got dark and Lucia made him come inside.  
  
"One day when you're a dad you'll understand why I did what I did-"  
  
Nick slammed his fist down onto the counter separating the kitchen and living room, it was enough to make Ricardo flinch back.  
  
"Stop!" He choked down the gasping cry that wanted to come out. "You know for years I didn't want kids, all because I didn't want to one day just leave them like you did. Recently I changed my mind, and now if I have kids I know one thing I won't be- you. I'll _never_ leave any kids I have doubting if I love them, I'll never leave them wondering for years if it was because of them that I left, that maybe if they were just a little bit better of a son or daughter that maybe I would have stuck around."  
  
"Nick-" Ricardo's voice was weak as if he was giving up. _Typical_ he thought to himself.  
  
"Just go." Nick turned his back to him, body starting to shake with repressed sobs.  
  
"Let me-"  
  
"LEAVE!" Nick's voice cracked as a sob broke away. "I don't need you anymore. I stopped wanting my dad to show up by the time I crossed the stage at graduation and you weren't there."  
  
Minutes later the door open and shut quietly.  
  
Nick leaned on the counter squeezing his eyes shut, tears hitting the surface.  
  


* * *

  
  
Ellie leaned against the door with her face wet with tears that she quickly wiped awatly with her sleeve. She had no idea. Her heart ached painfully for the man who she considered her best friend, for the man who was so much more. He had one of the kindest hearts no matter what he tried to play off as, he had deserved so much better.  
  


* * *

  
  
He had forgot Ellie was in his bedroom, not even hearing her come out until he felt her arms wrap around his waist from behind. She laid her head against his back, murmuring comforting words that he barely heard.  
  
But her hold was comforting in itself, and the smell of her familiar shampoo calmed him. Nick placed a hand over her own that were resting across his stomach.  
  
"Do you want me to go kick him in the groin?" She mumbled. "I'm really good at it."  
  
Nick chuckled wetly. "Maybe later, I'd uh..really like it if you stayed."  
  
"Of course."  
  
They stayed in that position for a few minutes, until Nick unwrapped her arms and turned around. Ellie bit her tongue to keep from saying anything stupid when she saw his wet cheeks. She had never seen him cry before. When they sat on her steps and talked about Reeves, he didn't shed a tear even when it looked like he was on the verge.  
  
"So I..guess that's why you never mentioned your dad?" She said quietly.  
  
He nodded. "Left when I was five and never looked back." He cleared his throat. "Lucia was more of a parent growing up but she also had her own life."  
  
"And your mom..what happened?"  
  
Nick wiped at his cheeks with a sniffle. "She um overdosed once, she tried getting clean after that but relapsed a few times since. She's back in Florida living with two friends of hers who are also recovering addicts, they support each other, going to meetings and stuff."  
  
"That's good." Ellie said with a smile. "Do you talk often or?"  
  
"Once a month, it's hard..getting past everything, neither of us wants to tempt fate I guess by talking too often. Lucia talks to her more, especially since losing George."  
  
"I bet she's proud of you." Ellie watched as a smile came to his face, and felt a little proud of herself for saying the right thing.  
  
"Well..she does boast to her roommates about her 'federal agent son'" He said with a small chuckle.  
  
Ellie grinned. "She should, he's pretty amazing." She winked, giving him a nudge.  
  
She had expected him to say something like 'hell yeah I'm amazing', but instead he smiled softly at her and suddenly pulled her into a hug. A small surprised gasp fell from her lips that turned into a happy smile as she returned the hug.  
  
"So um..you told your dad you changed your mind about kids?"  
  
Nick's arms tightened around her slightly. "Yeah..I did."  
  
"You'll be great." She whispered, thankful he couldn't see the large smile on her lips. Ellie couldn't help her wandering mind that _Nick wanted kids._  
  
"You think?" His voice was small, as if still unsure himself.  
  
"I don't think, I _know_. You're amazing with Victoria, the twins, and you were amazing with Cody." _and it's attractive as hell_ she thought to herself.  
  
"Thanks Ellie." He mumbled, her heart jumping in her chest when he buried his face in her neck. It was an almost intimate gesture that had her cheeks coloring.  
  
His phone rang, Lucia's name showing on the screen.  
  
Neither of them pulled away.  
  
Later they'd fall asleep on the couch with some movie playing, Nick's head on her lap as she ran her fingers softly through his hair. Ellie had seen a whole other, more vulnerable side of Nick but that was only the start. There'd be many more moments in the future.  
  
  



End file.
